mr. speaker , i thank my friend from washington for yielding this time .  mr. speaker , in the last 2 years , the economy has created over 3 million new jobs .  the unemployment rate is down .  our nation 's total output , or gross domestic product , is up .  home ownership is at a record high , and personal income has increased .  our economy is strong .  to ensure that we continue to enjoy prosperity , congress should support a pro-economic growth agenda that creates jobs and helps small businesses grow .  this includes reducing taxes .  our families and our country are better off when they keep more of what they earn .  one way to enable them to do that is to pass h.r. 8 , which permanently repeals the punitive death tax .  this tax often prevents parents from passing along their life 's work and savings to their children .  family farms , ranches and small businesses are forced to be sold to satisfy the death tax rates which can reach 55 percent .  no one should be taxed throughout their lifetime and then have their property retaxed at the time of their death .  it is the wrong tax at the wrong time on the wrong people .  